Button-sewing machine



(No Model.)

3 Sheets- Sheet 1.

H. H. CUMMINGS.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

wifffzessaa N PETERS. Phmo-Lvlhngvaphnr. wasmn wn, 0.0.

(No Model.)

3 SheetsSheet 2. H. H. CUMMINGS.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

N PETERS. Phelo-L|lhogYaphcn Washingwn, o. c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

H. H. CUMMINGS.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

Patented Feb. 26, 1889.

N. PETERS, Photo-Lithographer. Washington. 1:, c.

IlNiTEn STATES PATENT OEEicE.

HENRY H. CUMMINGS, OF MALDEX, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION BUTTON SEXY- INGMACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, )IASSACIIUSETTS.

BUTTON-SEWING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 398,586, dated February26, 1889. Application filed December 21, 1886. Serial No. 222,168. Noxnodeld To all whom 12mg concern:

Be it known that l, HENRY ll. CUMMINGS, of Malden, county of Middlesex,and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inButton-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likeletters on the drawings rcpresentin like parts.

In another application, Serial No. 222,165, filed by me on the 21stdayof December, 1886, I have shown and described an apparatus orattachment in connection with a sewing-machine, wherebya button havingfour eyes may be stitched either automatically across the eye of thebutton or from eye to eye in succession around the buttons.

In my present invention the apparatus for moving the button is soactuated that the stitches for attaching the button to a fabric or otherarticle are parallel,there being two lines of stitches rather than four,as will be described.

In the invention herein to be described the button is held in a button-holder or foot mounted upon the end of a slide-rod fitted looselywithin a carrier bar substantially such as shown in. mysaid application,the said rod having combined with it suitable mechanism whereby the rodis retained within the carrier, while the needle is made to descendalternately through one and the other of two holes in the button, andthe proper number of stitches having been taken, usually half the numberrequired to secure the button to the fabric, the said rod is released,so that a suitable spring, or equival.ent,causes the rod and itsattachedbutton-holder or foot to be moved toward the operator to bringinto position under the needle another hole of the button, andthereafter the carrier-bar is vibrated, as before, while the needledescends alternately through one and then the other of the lasttwo holesof thebutton, forming a series of stitches parallel tot-hose first madethrough the button. The lifting of the carrier-bar to provide for theinsert-ion of a button forces the rod carrying the button-holder or footinto the carrier-bar, where it is held automatically. One-half thenumber of stitches required to secure the button in place, orsubstantially one-half, having been made, the latch which holds back theslide-rod and button-holder or foot is automatically released by amechanism which will be hereinafter described, and as soon as therequired number of stitches to secure the button in place has been madethe rotation of the main shaft of the machine is automatically stopped.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents in plan view the forward portion ofthe bed-plate of a sewingmiacliine having the main parts of my improvedattachment applied thereto in working position. Fig. 2 is an under sideview of the greater part of a sewing-machine to which my invention issupposed to be applied, the said figure showing the novel devices whichhave been added to the ma chine to effect the release of the slide-rodand button -holder or foot when a button has been partially stitched inposition, also the means employed for stopping the rotation of the mainshaft of the machine when the button has been fully stitched. Fig. 2 isa detail view to show the meeting beveled ends of the slide-bar p and ofthe finger 47. Fig. 3 is a front or left-hand end view of the partsshown in Fig. 1, with the upper portion of the machine added chiefly toshow the needle-bar, the usual crank to operate it, and the presser-rodwhich acts to hold the carrier'bar and foot down in position to retainthe button close to the fabric while the button is being stitched. Fig.4 is a section of Fig. 2 in the line so it, looking toward the right,the bedplate being, however, turned over and shown as right side up.Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of Fig. 2 in the line as, lookingtoward the rear side of the machine. Fig. 5 is a detail viewto show thedetent r for the slidebar. Fig. 6 is a section of Fig. 5 in the dottedline 00 Fig. 7 is a detail showing the buttonholder or foot and part ofthe carrier-bar with the rod therein. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of thefoot or toe of the 1iftinglever.

The bed-plate A, the main shaft A, the link a, actuated by an eccentricon the said shaft, the stud a the crank a, fast on the rock-shaft a thebearings a and 07 for the said shaft, the sector 0 the bevel'gear o thepawl 0 the pawl-carrier o the stud a the nut a the collar (3, theeccentric c therein, the carrierbar Z), pointed screws 0', by which topivot the forked end of the said carrier-bar to the said collar, thepivoted guide 11 the bracket b to hold it, the base a. of the attachmentor apparatus, the screws or bolts I), to attach it to the bed-plate A,the latch Z2 the b Litton-holder or foot 6 held by it, the spring I), tolock the said latch 12*, the lever 13", having the rod B, the worm ('7the worm-gear (Z, the bolt d, upon which it is mounted, the finger Bfast upon the hub of the gear cl, the slide-rod 10, its attachedprojection 18, the stud m, the projection m, the presser-bar A theneedle-bar-actuating shaft A, its link- A the bearings A for it and forthe needle-bar A, having the needle N the cam-hub A the arm f, havingits latch or dog f, the belt pulley O, loose on the shaft A, the pin orprojection e, extended from one side of the said pulley, the dog 6, toengage the said pin or projection, the hub 6 to which the said dog ispivoted, the spring 6 to act upon the said dog, and a shipper-lever, 22,as well as the spring 23, are all substantially as in my saidapplication, and so need not he herein specifically described.

Herein the carrier-bar b is bored from its outer end to receive a rod,71, provided at its front end with a screw-thread, 71 upon which isscrewed a nut, 7L2, which enters a hole in a shank of the button-holderor foot b the latter having springs Z) I), and suitable slots to holdbuttons of two different sizes, the'shank of the said nut forming thepivot forthe button-holder orfoot as it is turned into one or the otherof its two positions to be held by the latch Z1 The end of thecarrier-bar Z1" nearest the operator is embraced by a bifurcated head,it, which surrounds the screw-threaded portion h of the rod 71, and isinterposed between the end of the carrier-bar and therear side of thebutton-holder or foot, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 7. V v

The slide-rod h hasfastened upon it between its ends by a setscre'iig'n, a stuchn, which, extended through a horizontal slot in the'carrieiebar, hasattached to it by a screw,

a a rod-holding latch, 91 the said latch hav.

ing (see Fig. 1) a shoulderor projection to engage a pin or projection,92, attached to the outer side of the carricr-bar-b the said latch whenengaged'with the said pin or projection at, as in Figs. 1 and 3,causingthe rod hto be heldback in the carrier-barb, compressing the spring or.(See Fig. '7.) In this condition of the parts the vibration of thecarrierbar by an intermitting but semi-rotation of the eccentric 0 willso move the button- 1101(161 or foot as to permit the needle J todescend first through the hole 33 and then tthrough the hole 3% in thebutton, thus forming between them a series of stitches, as-35, and theproper number of stitches, as 35, having been made'the latch 11 isreleased by-the action of a suitable latch-releasing device, 0, to bedescribed, which permits 'the spring of,

acting upon the rod '72, to throw it forward in.

present invention.

the direction of the arrow thereon in Fig. 7 placing the hole 36 in thebutton (see Fig. 1) in position to be entered by the needle W, andthereafter as the carrier-bar I)" is vibrated by the eccentric c theneedle will be caused to enter the hole 37, and then again the hole 36,until a certain number of stitches have been made through or from one totheother of the 'force the rod h back into the carrier-bar, compressingthe spring a and enabling the pro- .jection of the latch n to againengage the projection a of the carrier-bar.

The latch-releasing device 0 has its shank inserted into a split portionof the lever B where it, is adj ustably clamped by the clampscrew 0.(See Fig. 3.) This lever B is pivoted at cf, (see Fig. 1,) and theprojection B at its rear end (shown only in Fig. '2) is struck by theprojection B when substantially half the number of stitches needed tosecure the button in place has been made, the movement of the lever Bactuated by the projec tion B causing the releasing device 0 to be movedin such direction as to carry the outer end of the latch 71? away fromthe carrier bar I).

The bed-plate and shaft A, as well as the cam A are common to the\Vhceler & \Yilson sewing-machine, style No. 10,] having selected thatform of machine with which to illustrate one practical en'ibodiment ofmy In practice the cam A willact uate the usual take-iip, and inaddition thereto the groov'eof the said cam, as herein provided for,will-receive 'in it a cam-block, 19, carried at thejend of "aball-like'stud, pflmadeadjustablein the end of a pawl-carrier, p havingits'fulcrum at 19 the said pawl-carrier having attached to it apawl, pacted upon by a spring, .19 the spring normally keeping the free end ofthe pawl in engagement with the teeth of a slidebar, 1), arrangedbetween suitable guides at the lower side of the bedplate, thesaidslidebar being normally held back against an adjustable stop, f, bya spiral spring, 40, attached to the slide-bar and to a stationary partof the machine.

The number of teeth in the slide-bar 2) equals the maximum number ofstitches to be made when attachingany one button; but the machine may bestopped before it has made the maximum number of stitches, providedthebackward throw of the toothed slidebar is arrested sooner or later bythe stop 19 Directly underneath the pawl 19 when at it's backward throw,is pivoted a dete n t, 7, (see Fig. 5,) it being of the same shape asthe,

pawl, and being acted upon by a spring, '1', (see Fig. 5,) whichnormally keeps the free end of the detent in engagement with the teethof the toothed slide 3, the detent acting to prevent any backwardmovement of the toothed slide 1 until after such time as the buttonshall have been fully stitched, at which time the said detent isreleased, and at the same time the pawl is released, as will bedescribed, to permit the spring lO to pull the toothed slide 1) backagainst the stop 19 The guide-block in which the slide-harp is moved ismarked P, and it consists, essentially, of a bar of metal grooved forthe reception of the slide-bar, the guide being secured to the underside of the bed-plate by suitable bolts, one of which is shown at p Thefront end of the slidebar p is beveled, as shown at -12, Fig. 2, thebevel startingfrom the lower side of the bar and inclining upward towardthe left-hand end of the machine.

The slide-bar p, when in its most forward position, is retained in thegroove of the guidebloek P by a' plate, 43, which is attached to theguide block P by screws at.

The guideblocl P receives in it a shortrock-shaft, 45, to one end ofwhich is attached an angular arm, 46, (see Figs. 2 and 6,) the said armhaving attached to it in the path of movement of the slidebar p abevelfinger, l7, which, when the inclined portion 42 of the slide-bar pmeets the said finger, causes the arm 46 to be depressed slightly, orfor a distance far enough to enable a shoulder, 48, (see Fig. 6,) on thesaid arm to be lowered below and so as to release the shipper-lever 22,so that the latter under the action of the spring 23, attached to aportion of the sliderod 19, will cause the shipper lever to be movedabout its pivot or fulcrum 4.8.

During this movement of the shipper-lever,

it acting upon the inclined bridge of the arm 46, causes the rock-shaft45 to be turned far enough to cause a finger, 49, forming part of acollar, (see Fig. 6,) attached to the rock-shaft etoby a screw, 50,to'act against one end of the pawl-disengager 52, pivoted at 53 on theguide-block P, thus turning the said pawl-disengager far enough toremove both the pawl p and the detent 'r from the slide-bar p.

The movement described as given to the shipper-lever 22 by the springand rod 19 throws the inner curved end (see Figs. 2 and 1) of the saidshhyper-lever into position to strike the dog 6 and release it from thepin or projection e of the belt-pulley 0, thus entbilllg' the latterpulley to run loose on the shaft A, and immediately thereafter the armf, before described, and common to my said application, in its rotationwill engage the shipper-lever, and the said arm f, being fast to theshaft A, will immediately stop the rol ta-tioi'i of the said shaft.

The ljiifurcated head 71 is of sufficient width to act as a guide whenthe rod h is released, and also to maintain the lu'itton-holder or footin proper position.

The guide-block P (see Fig. is shown as provided with a scale, 56,showing numbers from eight to twenty-three, the said numbers designating the minimum and maximum number of stitches to be made when stitchingthe button to a piece of fabric or other article. i The stop f may beadjusted opposite any i one of the numbers referred to, and when in thatposit-i011 such number will designate the maximum number of stitcheswhich may be made in a button before the machine will be stoppedautomatically. The spring 88, Fig. 5, normally acts to keep the arm 46lifted.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the machine will beautomatically stopped when the beveled end $2 of the notched slidebar pstrikes the beveled finger 47 on the arm 4.6 of the rock-shaft 4:5. Thesaid notched slide-bar is moved forward to the extent of one tooth ornotch at each rotation of the hook-shaft A, or at each stitch made bythe machine, the said slide-bar being thus fed forward by the pawl 13 onthe lever or pawl-carrier p and the latter being operated by the take-up cam A secured to the said hook-sh aft, and into the groove of whichextends the block-finger p on the end of the said lever or pawl carrier19 It will be apparent that the number of stitches which will be madebefore the machine is stopped will be governed by the adjustment of theslide-bar stop p the said slide-bar being retracted until it comes incontact with said stop by the spring 4.0, when the pawl p and the detent1 have been removed from the teeth of the slide'bar by thepawl-disengager 52, operated by the finger 4,9 of the rock-shaft &5, ashereinbefore described, and the said pawl-disengager being operatedsimultaneously with the shippenlever 22, by which the machine isstopped.

l. The carrier-bar, means to vibrate it, the rod 72, and thebutton-holder or foot connected therewith, combined with a latch and aprojection to retain the button-holder or foot in locked position withrelation to the said carrier during the partial stitching of the buttonin place, and with means to release the said latch and move the rod withits attached foot longitudinally wit-h relation to the carrier-bar,substantially as described.

2. The carrier-bar, means to vibrate it intermittingly, thebutton-holder or foot, its att tached rod free to be movedlongitudinally i with relation to the carrier-bar, and the head i to actas a guide, combined with means to hold l the rod in locked positionwith relation to I the said carrier-bar to retain the buttonholder orfoot in proper position while part of the button is being stitched, andwith means to release the said rod from its locked position and move itwith its attached foot longitudinally with relation to the carrrier-bar,substantially as described.

3. In a button-sewing machine, the combination, with the shaft A, thecam A there toothed slide-bar 1), having the beveled end on, thepawl-carrier p actuated by the said 52, the pawl-carrier 19 its attachedpawl and cam, the pawl 11, pivoted to said carrier, the the detent, andmeans to move the pawl-oarrier, combined with the toothed slide 19 movedintermittingly by the pawl of the pawl-can rier and adapted to operatethe inclined and notched arm to release the shipper-lever, and means tomove the shipper-lever to enable it to continuethe movement of the saidinclined arm, to operate substantially as described.

f In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name f 42, a detent for saidslide-bar, the rock-shaft 45, having the finger 4-9, said shaft havingalso an arm, 46, provided with the finger 47, the disengaging-lever 52,the shipper-lever 22, its actuating-spring, the loose pulley C, anddetachable connections between said pulley and the shaft'A',substantially as set forth.

4. In a. sewing-machine, the shaft A, the loose pulley O, detachableconnections between said pulleyandshatt, the shipper-lever 22, thenotched and inclined arm 46, to hold the said shipper-lever, therook-shaft 45, its attached finger t0, the pawl-disengaging lever tothis specification inthepresence-of two subscribing witnesses. p

HENRY H. CUMMINGS. Vitnes'ses:

G. W. GREGORY, (I. M. Conn.

